Some noses not only snore but have an additional problem.
Sleep apnea, according to Dr. Tedd Mitchell, president and medical director of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, is a serious medical condition.
In a column he writes called HealthSmart in USA Weekend, he states that this medical problem actually decreases airflow to the lungs due to airway obstruction.
He gives the following signs to look for:
Loud snoring that occurs regardless of position.
Breathing that stops for short periods during sleep.
Excessive daytime sleepiness.
Dr. Mitchell says this condition can be serious and does require an evaluation by a sleep medicine specialist.
Sleep Apnea Surgery
Author: T. Houser
Sleep apnea (apnea from the Greek, meaning "without breath") isa sleep disorder characterized by frequent pauses in breathingduring sleep. There are three types of sleep apnea, obstructive,central and mixed. Obstructive is the most common, it is causedby anatomical blockage of the airway, and as such can often betreated by sleep apnea surgery.
Sleep apnea surgery for obstructive sleep apnea consists ofseveral different types of procedures:
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP, is the most common sleepapnea surgery for adults. The procedure enlarges the airway byremoving or shortening the uvula, (tissue that hangs from theroof of the mouth at the back of the throat). The tonsils andadenoids, if present, are also removed as well as part of thesoft palate (roof of the mouth).
Tonsillectomy and/oradenoidectomy is a sleep apnea surgery that removes the tonsilsand/or the adenoids, often the first treatment option forchildren because enlarged tonsils and adenoids are usually thecause of their sleep apnea.
Tracheotomy creates a hole in thewindpipe (trachea), and a tube is placed in the hole to allowair in. This sleep apnea surgery, the most effective, is usuallyreserved for serious apnea sufferers when other treatments havefailed. The site around the tube must be cleaned daily toprevent infection.
Septoplasy is a sleep apnea surgery that straightens a crooked septum (the partition between the nasal cavities).
Laser midline glossectomy and lingualplasty are types of sleep apnea surgery that remove a portion of the tongue.
Maxillomandibular osteotomy or advancement (MMO orMMA) and two-part inferior sagittal mandibular osteotomy. aretypes of sleep apnea surgery which help enlarge the airway bymoving the mandible (jaw) forward These surgeries have highsuccess rates, but last several hours, have a significantrecovery period, and potential complications.
A relatively new procedure for sleep apnea surgery, performed in the physician's office, is radio frequency ablation (RFTA), trade name SomnoplastyTM. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) in 1998, it shrinks the size of the tongue and/ or palate. Multiple treatments may be required, and can be used along with other sleep apnea treatments.
The tongue suspension procedure (trade name Repose) is a different sleep apnea surgery procedure. Approved by the FDA in February 1998, this sleep apnea surgery is intended to keep the tongue from falling back over the airway by inserting a small screw into the lower jawbone and stitches below the tongue. Usually performed in conjunction with other procedures, this surgery is potentially reversible. No studies, however, on the long-term success are available, and little clinical data have been published to demonstrate the procedure's effectiveness.
When considering sleep apnea surgery, be aware thateffectiveness varies from person to person. Physicians whoperform sleep apnea surgery are most commonly otolaryngologists(specializing in the ears, nose, and throat) and oral andmaxillofacial surgeons. Referrals to a surgeon may be obtainedthrough your family physician or through a sleep center.
